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rainbowfic2021-07-07 06:21 pm
thisbluespirit) wrote in rainbowfic2021-07-07 06:21 pm
Candy Green #5 [Divide & Rule]
Name: Misfire
Story: Divide & Rule/Heroes of the Revolution
Colors: Candy Green #5 (Jelly Bean)
Supplies and Styles: Graffiti (June Challenge) + Eraser + Tapestry
Word Count: 904
Rating: G
Warnings: None.
Notes: Edward Iveson/Julia Graves, Caroline Sheldon; 1980s, Blind Date AU (another from the giant list). (Apparently a jelly bean was once also a slang term for a vain and foolish young man.)
Summary: Edward didn’t even ask to be here, and he’s still been stood up.
***
Edward hadn’t wanted to meet Caroline for dinner, but being stood up was even more galling. He glanced at his watch again. She was nearly forty minutes late. The waiter had already made several pointed queries about making an order already, and Edward supposed that as this point he might as well hang it all and do that. Caroline might yet turn up, and even if she didn’t, at least he’d be fed, no matter how pitying the staff were.
The man at the table next to him was also waiting for someone, although he’d only been there for ten minutes and had spent most of it on a mobile phone, talking loudly about stocks and shares. With his smart, probably expensive, suit, and loud tie, he was the embodiment of the city whiz kid stereotype, and just as irritating in real life as in fiction.
“Hello,” said a young woman, arriving at Edward’s table seemingly out of nowhere and drawing his attention back from his neighbour. “Are you Mr Jones? I’m Julia.”
Edward started in his seat. “Jones?” he said. “No, unfortunately.”
Her lips parted and her eyes widened as something seemed to strike her. She looked towards the city worker still on his phone and then sat down heavily on Caroline’s vacant chair. “You don’t mind, do you?” she said in a low tone, leaning forward. “Only – oh dear.”
“You think that’s your Mr Jones?” Edward gave a discreet nod of the head towards the finance whiz.
Julia put a hand to her head. “If that’s even his name. He doesn’t look like a Mr Jones, does he?”
“Some people are called Jones. Smith, even.”
Her mouth compressed into a line, and she rested her chin on her hands, leaning forward. “True. And yet, somehow, I don’t want to risk it.” She leant further across to whisper, “It’s a blind date. He sounded much nicer on the write up.”
“Sir. Madam,” said the waiter, arriving with the menu. He paused expectantly.
Julia shot an alarmed look at Edward, and then pressed a hand to her mouth as her face creased with suppressed amusement. “Coke, please,” she managed.
Edward, rather distracted, asked for water, and the waiter gave him yet another dark look before departing.
“Oh, dear – sorry,” said Julia. “I should leave you in peace, shouldn’t I?”
Edward shrugged. “Not on my account. I’m waiting for my ex-wife, apparently in vain. It couldn’t be more depressing. What about your, er, date, though?”
“I’ll sneak out in a minute and ask the receptionist to tell him I couldn’t make it,” said Julia. “She was very helpful when I couldn’t find my way into the restaurant rather than the hotel. I’ll go after I’ve had my coke. I won’t get in your way.”
Edward grinned. “Oh, stay, do. If you go, I’m not sure what that waiter will do to me. I’m Edward Iveson, by the way.”
Julia took the hand he held out to her and shook it with a quick, bright smile. “Better than Jones, anyway. Oh, dear, what if that really is his name and his intentions are good?”
They both glanced over, despite themselves, but Mr Jones was busy telling someone about shares in a confectionary company having made a million by the close of trading.
Julia pulled her mouth down and Edward suppressed a grin in response.
“I expect he’ll live,” he assured her. “And I may not, after all. That waiter has been looking daggers at me all evening.”
“Ha.” Julia looked over again. “I did tell him I’d be wearing blue and a pretty decent general description. He could at least have looked, you know – is that my date? But no. So. Your name doesn’t sound fake. Or you’re a better liar – but I’m safer from a villain than a bore in here. I know his type. Thinks he’s God’s gift and wouldn’t even remember my name, like certain other people I won’t mention.”
Edward smiled. “Not guilty, I promise.”
The waiter arrived with their drinks and asked if they wished to order.
“If you would give us another minute, please,” said Edward, and received a dark look in response before the waiter removed himself and his notebook.
Julia took a sip of coke. “I see what you mean.”
“Yes,” said Edward. “So, let’s attend to the menu before it’s too late.”
They were halfway through their meal when Caroline finally arrived, causing Edward to drop his fork onto the table. He’d entirely forgotten his original reason for being here. He hastily swallowed his mouthful and wiped his hand on his napkin as he rose to greet her. “Caroline. What happened? Are you all right?”
“Oh, yes,” she said. “I’m so sorry – a silly problem with the car – but who is this? Edward!”
He smiled. “Caroline, this is Julia. Julia, this is Caroline.”
“Oh, I’m so glad to meet you,” said Caroline, beaming at Julia. “Edward, you should have said you were with someone. I wouldn’t have bothered you if I’d known it was inconvenient.” She stole a chair from the empty neighbouring table and pulled it up to the table. She smiled at Julia. “I shan’t stay, don’t worry, but do tell me how you met.”
Edward stole a glance at Julia, who choked into her napkin. “Yes, funny story that. I’ll have to tell it to you sometime – but not tonight. You’d never believe me.”
***
Story: Divide & Rule/Heroes of the Revolution
Colors: Candy Green #5 (Jelly Bean)
Supplies and Styles: Graffiti (June Challenge) + Eraser + Tapestry
Word Count: 904
Rating: G
Warnings: None.
Notes: Edward Iveson/Julia Graves, Caroline Sheldon; 1980s, Blind Date AU (another from the giant list). (Apparently a jelly bean was once also a slang term for a vain and foolish young man.)
Summary: Edward didn’t even ask to be here, and he’s still been stood up.
***
Edward hadn’t wanted to meet Caroline for dinner, but being stood up was even more galling. He glanced at his watch again. She was nearly forty minutes late. The waiter had already made several pointed queries about making an order already, and Edward supposed that as this point he might as well hang it all and do that. Caroline might yet turn up, and even if she didn’t, at least he’d be fed, no matter how pitying the staff were.
The man at the table next to him was also waiting for someone, although he’d only been there for ten minutes and had spent most of it on a mobile phone, talking loudly about stocks and shares. With his smart, probably expensive, suit, and loud tie, he was the embodiment of the city whiz kid stereotype, and just as irritating in real life as in fiction.
“Hello,” said a young woman, arriving at Edward’s table seemingly out of nowhere and drawing his attention back from his neighbour. “Are you Mr Jones? I’m Julia.”
Edward started in his seat. “Jones?” he said. “No, unfortunately.”
Her lips parted and her eyes widened as something seemed to strike her. She looked towards the city worker still on his phone and then sat down heavily on Caroline’s vacant chair. “You don’t mind, do you?” she said in a low tone, leaning forward. “Only – oh dear.”
“You think that’s your Mr Jones?” Edward gave a discreet nod of the head towards the finance whiz.
Julia put a hand to her head. “If that’s even his name. He doesn’t look like a Mr Jones, does he?”
“Some people are called Jones. Smith, even.”
Her mouth compressed into a line, and she rested her chin on her hands, leaning forward. “True. And yet, somehow, I don’t want to risk it.” She leant further across to whisper, “It’s a blind date. He sounded much nicer on the write up.”
“Sir. Madam,” said the waiter, arriving with the menu. He paused expectantly.
Julia shot an alarmed look at Edward, and then pressed a hand to her mouth as her face creased with suppressed amusement. “Coke, please,” she managed.
Edward, rather distracted, asked for water, and the waiter gave him yet another dark look before departing.
“Oh, dear – sorry,” said Julia. “I should leave you in peace, shouldn’t I?”
Edward shrugged. “Not on my account. I’m waiting for my ex-wife, apparently in vain. It couldn’t be more depressing. What about your, er, date, though?”
“I’ll sneak out in a minute and ask the receptionist to tell him I couldn’t make it,” said Julia. “She was very helpful when I couldn’t find my way into the restaurant rather than the hotel. I’ll go after I’ve had my coke. I won’t get in your way.”
Edward grinned. “Oh, stay, do. If you go, I’m not sure what that waiter will do to me. I’m Edward Iveson, by the way.”
Julia took the hand he held out to her and shook it with a quick, bright smile. “Better than Jones, anyway. Oh, dear, what if that really is his name and his intentions are good?”
They both glanced over, despite themselves, but Mr Jones was busy telling someone about shares in a confectionary company having made a million by the close of trading.
Julia pulled her mouth down and Edward suppressed a grin in response.
“I expect he’ll live,” he assured her. “And I may not, after all. That waiter has been looking daggers at me all evening.”
“Ha.” Julia looked over again. “I did tell him I’d be wearing blue and a pretty decent general description. He could at least have looked, you know – is that my date? But no. So. Your name doesn’t sound fake. Or you’re a better liar – but I’m safer from a villain than a bore in here. I know his type. Thinks he’s God’s gift and wouldn’t even remember my name, like certain other people I won’t mention.”
Edward smiled. “Not guilty, I promise.”
The waiter arrived with their drinks and asked if they wished to order.
“If you would give us another minute, please,” said Edward, and received a dark look in response before the waiter removed himself and his notebook.
Julia took a sip of coke. “I see what you mean.”
“Yes,” said Edward. “So, let’s attend to the menu before it’s too late.”
They were halfway through their meal when Caroline finally arrived, causing Edward to drop his fork onto the table. He’d entirely forgotten his original reason for being here. He hastily swallowed his mouthful and wiped his hand on his napkin as he rose to greet her. “Caroline. What happened? Are you all right?”
“Oh, yes,” she said. “I’m so sorry – a silly problem with the car – but who is this? Edward!”
He smiled. “Caroline, this is Julia. Julia, this is Caroline.”
“Oh, I’m so glad to meet you,” said Caroline, beaming at Julia. “Edward, you should have said you were with someone. I wouldn’t have bothered you if I’d known it was inconvenient.” She stole a chair from the empty neighbouring table and pulled it up to the table. She smiled at Julia. “I shan’t stay, don’t worry, but do tell me how you met.”
Edward stole a glance at Julia, who choked into her napkin. “Yes, funny story that. I’ll have to tell it to you sometime – but not tonight. You’d never believe me.”
***
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